James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

The Cabinet committee on housing recently agreed to an expanded role for the Land Development Agency. In addition, a memo was brought to Cabinet and got approval there. The Government has ensured the LDA has the resources needed to continue its essential work. Its capital has increased in recent times from €2.5 billion, when the LDA Act was first passed, to €6.25 billion. The recent recommendations include: developing a landbank to engage active land management policies to deliver private housing in appropriate locations; expanding the LDA's geographic area of operation, unlocking public lands for urban brownfield delivery; amending the LDA Act to expedite the development of suitable sites held by commercial State bodies; working with the Department of Finance on the exemption of designated cost-rental activity from corporation tax; and for the LDA to support local authorities' housing activation office in the Department in master-planning and infrastructure provision in towns and districts. There is a much-widened role for the LDA. It is currently about the size of one of the largest affordable housing bodies but we want to see it expand to very soon become the largest housing delivery body in the State.